Ahhhh...Oooohh NFL post-season continued

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Saturday, January 3, 2009! 4:30 p.m.

Losers of four of their last six to end the season, the Cardinals need the offense to return to form, and make the most of their possessions. Arizona is dead last in the entire NFL in rushing, averaging 73.6 yards per game. That's pitiful. While Tim Hightower has 10 td's, he averages only 2.8 yds a carry. The meat and potatoes of the Cards is the passing game. They have 3 of the top 22 receivers in the game. Larry Fitzgerald ranks number 2, with 96 receptions for 1431 yds and 12tds. At 16, is Anquan Boldin, who was rocked all year by big hits and facials has 89 receptions for 1038 yds and 11 tds's. Steve Breaston ranks 22nd, with 77 rec. for 1006 yds and 3 complimentary touchdowns.
Kurt Warner was unbelievable this year! Although he may be out in the MVP race, he had the third best passer rating. He threw for 4583 yards and had 30td's to 14 int's. One of the better stories in the league full of assholes.
Cardinal defense is about as good as Atlanta's. They rank 22 to Atl's 21.

The Falcons as well are one of the better stories in the NFL. Matt Ryan(rookie) helps take Atlanta to the playoffs, along with Micheal Turner(freak), and Roddy White.
Matt Ryan ranks 13th in the league in passing, completing 61.1 % of his passes. Tony Romo(who missed the playoffs) completed 61.3. Ryan threw for 3443 yds, with 16 td's to 11 int's.
Northern Illinois alum Michael Turner was second in the NFL in rushing. I put this guy in the mix of MVP candidates. 376 carries for 1699 yds, with 17 td's. That's and average of 106.2 a game.
The Falcons have only one receiver, and that's Roddy White, who ranks 4th in the league with 88 receptions for 1382 yds and 12 td's. After him you have Michael Jenkins and others I care not too mention.
This season for the Atlanta fans was maybe the greatest ever for them. Sure, they made the Superbowl under Dan Reeves, but they didn't stand a chance, and Eugene Robinson embarrassed the whole franchise for being arrested for soliciting a prostitute.
Best season ever. In your face Vick! In your face.
So.... who wins
Again tough to predict.
If the Cardinals can stop Turner, they have a shot at this. I'm sure the Falcons game plan is to run it down their throats with Turner and Norwood, control the clock, and limit Matt Ryan mistakes. I'd double Roddy White and takes my chances.
For Arizona, the passing game is fine. They need to RUN THE BALL. I would start Edgerin James, I really would. He has the experience, and should be fresh from being in the doghouse. They get a run game to run some play-action, and I see Arizona running away with this one.
I give the slight edge to Arizona if this happens, and they can play some sort of defense.
Arizona 31, Atlanta 30!

AHHHHHHH, The Post-Season

Thanks to bloggers at I Dislike Your Favorite Sports Team.
I joined their Pro Football pick em and finished 5th out of 19. Not too shabby, but still, look at the winning percentages. Football is one of the hardest to predict winners. The winner of the pick em had a 0.539 winning percentage. I correctly picked 122/256 games. That is a winning percentage of 0.476. Almost fifty %, but not quite. My four year old could probably pick half the games right just by asking her who will win, like Houston or Chicago. MMMmmmmmm.......Houston Daddy!
So thanks again IDYFT! Also, Andrew Wice of IDYFT is now a published author. Check it out. Your book is on my list of many sir.
Now since I'm a .0476 expert at picking NFL games, let's look at the post-season and makes some educated picks!


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Saturday, January 3, 2009! @8:00 p.m.
It doesn't seem right that Indy has to travel, but San Diego is the Division winner? Well, after the Chargers really spanked the Broncos, they took over.
The Colts won nine in a row to end the season, including wins against The Patriots, Steelers, and San Diego. They also have a win versus Baltimore this year.
Joseph Addai, who was the consensus top five picks among fantasy running backs, was a dud riddled with injuries all year. 155 carrries for 544 yds and 5 td's. Dominic Rhodes has virtually the same stats, but with one more td. Rhodes also caught more passes out of the backfield: 45 to Addai's 25. Addai topped 100 yds once versus Houston, and Rhodes has the second higest with 86 yds against lowly Detroit.
So the running game is weak. Let's see if they rest up enough to be a factor.
It's been all Peyton Manning and his Wideouts. All have been sensational(including Marvin Harrsion). Manning ended the regular season with 4000 yds and 27 td's after an awful start, earning him MVP consideration.
The CHARGERS have really had a bad season defensively. They are all about offense.
Phillip Rivers completed 65% of his passes, throwing for over 4000 yds with 34 tds's, passing the great Dan Fouts for all time touchdown thrown by a Charger!
For L.T., it wasn't a bad year at all. 1110 yds rushing with 11 td's. Not his freakish self, but looked very good that last game vs. Denver.
The Charger wideouts have been good as well with a core of Chambers, Jackson(leader),Gates, and Floyd.
The Chargers did not beat any good teams this year, aside from New England, but that was early in the season, before Cassell found his horny.
Charger losses include Cardinals, Buffalo, New England, New Orleans, Pitt, INDY, Atlanta. Wins: Two wins each vs. Oakland and Kansas City, Tampa, Denver.
San Diego ranks 25th in the NFL in Defense, and only avg. 0.57 sacks a game.
Indy ranks 15th, and always seems to show up in big games.
Darren Sproles should be a factor in this game, giving San Diego great field position from kick/punt returns.
Prediction? I see this being a great, great game. Who makes the defensive stop when it's needed seems to be the story here.
I think Manning should pick apart the defense, and Adam Vinatieri kicks a field goal with under ten seconds, winning the game in regulation. Bye Bye Turner.

Tomorrow I will go over Atlanta at Arizona, and Baltimore at Miami.